Pecan Turtle Cheesecake

Its frosty outside and I am toasty warm on the inside.

I am on day 6 of a weeklong juice feast and I have been menu planning for my February live food classes, so I have been going through recipes.

The Pecan Turtle Cheesecake is one I made for Thanksgiving.

Okay I actually didn't make one, I made two and they were delicious!

Our most important native American nut crop, the pecan, was an important staple for Native Americans, known to the Algonquian, Cree, Ojibwa, and Abenaki peoples. Pecans are a relative of walnuts and a member of the hickory genus.
The state tree of Texas, the pecan is indigenous to the Mississippi River Basin; pecans are an essential ingredient in southern cookery. A mature tree produces about five hundred pounds of nuts a year!

Pecan Turtle Cheesecake

• CHOCOLATE-PECAN CRUST
• 1 ½ cups pecans
• 2 ounces cacao powder
• ⅓ cup cacao nibs
• 4 ounces date paste
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon liquid vanilla
• CARAMEL FILLING
• 3 cups cashews, soaked
• ¾ cups agave
• 2 cups almond mylk
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup liquid vanilla
• ⅓ cup yacon syrup
• 3 tablespoons lecithin
• 1 ¼ cups coconut oil
• CARAMEL-CHOCOLATE FILLING
• 2 cups caramel filling
• 1 ½ ounces cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon liquid vanilla
• CARAMEL TOPPING
• ¾ cup macadamias
• 3 tablespoons agave
• 1 ½ tablespoons liquid vanilla
• 2 tablespoons almond mylk
• 2 tablespoons yacon syrup
• 3 tablespoons cacao butter
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• GARNISH
• 1 cup pecans, processed so they are mostly chunky
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons cacao nibs
• 1 tablespoon yacon syrup

Put it all together:

CHOCOLATE PECAN CRUST: Process all ingredients and press into bottom of pan.

CARAMEL FILLING: Add all ingredients to blender except for coconut oil and lecithin. Blend well until smooth and creamy. Next add lecithin and melted coconut oil. Resume blending until lecithin and oil are well incorporated. Reserve 2 cups of caramel filling to make caramel chocolate filling. Pour remaining caramel filling into spring-form pan.

CARAMEL-CHOCOLATE FILLING: Take 2 cups of caramel filling and add cacao powder and vanilla. Pour caramel-chocolate filling onto caramel filling and swirl together for a marbled effect.
Allow pie to set in fridge while you make caramel topping.
CARAMEL TOPPING: Blend all caramel topping ingredients in blender until smooth and creamy. Take pie out of fridge, and pour caramel topping on top. Set in fridge for 15-20 minutes, stirring often for a marbled effect. Once caramel is thick but not hard, proceed to garnish the cheesecake.
GARNISH: Process pecans and salt lightly so they are still mostly chunky. To finish, start by taking 3/4 cup of the processed pecans and applying them to the sides of the cheesecake. Do this by carefully holding the cheesecake from the bottom, over a counter. Take small handfuls of the pecans and pat them into the sides, letting the excess fall to the counter. The pecans will stick to the sides of the cheesecake. When finished going around, lightly pat the sides with your hand to embed the pecans even more.
Now sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cacao nibs and 1/4 cup of the pecans over the top. Gently spread the caramel on top of the cheesecake (over the nibs and pecans). Slowly and evenly drizzle the 1 tablespoon yacon syrup over the caramel, and lightly swirl with a chopstick. Finally, sprinkle the remaining pecans and cacao nibs over the top of the whole thing.

This recipe is from the Cafe Gratitude! WOW! What a cheesecake!

Second only to macadamia nuts in fat, pecans are an exceptionally warming food.

High in iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, pecans contain vitamins A, C, E, and B-Complex.
Pecans decrease Vata.

Hope you are all having a wonderful new year!

Loves & Happiness,

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Very Pretty Smoothie

Happy New Year!

Its already January fourth and we are now easing back into routine. The girls are in school, Noah is at work, and me? I'm writing, practicing yoga, making lists and preparing for the upcoming juice feast I am hosting. I am so excited to start off the new year with a weeklong cleanse that will start on January 15th.

Today it's sort of snowing and raining at the same time, Noah and I started our morning by having a wonderful smoothie and finishing our scrabble game we started the night before.

Very Pretty Red Smoothie

2 bananas

1 cup strawberries

1 thai coconut

1 cup beet juice

2 Tablespoons Pure Synergy

1 teaspoon bee pollen

Put all ingredients in a blender and voila! Superb!

The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious.

~Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

Wild beets grow along the mediterranean coasts where they seem happiest just above the high tide mark--a land-bound, but sea loving, vegetable. Beets are a member of the ubiquitous goosefoot family.

As their color suggests, beets are a blood tonic and are good for anemia, the heart and circulation. They purify the blood, alleviate constipation, aid the liver, and promote menstruation. Beets reduce vata and kapha.

A starchy vegetable, beet roots are high in natural sugar. The greens have notable amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus; they also contain vitamins A, B-complex, and C.

Why is it that one day eating a beet turns your urine pink, whereas another day and another beet produce magenta stool? According to nutritionist Jeffrey Bland, PhD., pink urine may indicate an iron deficiency while magenta stool indicates adequate iron.

Info about beets is from the New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, by Rebecca Wood.

Then for lunch I had my usual salad. I know it sounds weird but I love salad and I love to eat it everyday!

Simple Salad:

Green lettuce, chopped

1 avocado, diced

2 Tablespoons dried cranberries

dash of cayenne

dash of kelp powder

favorite dressing!

Sometimes I also add red onion. I like to slice it super thin!

Toss in a bowl and enjoy!

YUM!

I hope you have the best year ever!

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. ~Walter Elliott

Love and Laughter,

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Delicious Broccoli Salad

The last week has been magical and fun. Spending time with friends and family, reliving memories and seeing the girls with sparkles in their eyes.

The recipe in this post is one from Beatrice Arroe. Noah and I served this salad at our wedding, everyone loves it!

Delicious Broccoli Salad:

• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite sized chuncks
• 1 handful almonds
• 1 cup scallions, or green onions
• ¾ cup raisins, currants or olives
• DRESSING BLEND:
• 1 cup coconut milk
• ½ cup tahini
• ½ cup red onion
• 1 whole lemon, juiced
• ½ whole jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons oil, to taste
• 2 tablespoons vinegar, to taste
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon corriander
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon ginger, (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon agave, to taste

Cut and toss body ingredients into a bowl.

Blend dressing ingredients in a blender, add to body ingredients, massage together and enjoy!

Broccoli is cooling in nature, and helps reduce eye inflammation. It is slightly diuretic in action. Broccoli reduces pitta and kapha. Broccoli contains twice the vitamin C as an orange, and almost as much calcium as whole milk-and its calcium is better absorbed by our bodies. Broccoli contains selenium, is a modest source of vitamin A and alpha-tocopherol vitamin E, and has value as an antioxidant.

(The leafy greens--not the blossoms--offer the most nutrients)

Yumm.

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season!

Pray for snow!

xoxoxox

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Vegetable Medley Soup

Merry Holidays!

Its the day after Christmas, my family is going skiing and I am thinking of something that will satisfy them after a day of fun in the snow! Soup! Yumm! Delicious warm soup!

This soup recipe is one I picked up from the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Patagonia, Arizona! It has quickly become one of my family's favorites as well as a favorite of the Live Food class that I teach on Wednesdays! It is delicious and sooooo good for you!

Thanks Tim and Michela for all your wonderful teachings and recipes!

Vegetable Medley Soup:

3-6 whole bell peppers, s-bladed 1 bunch spinach, s-bladed 1 bunch celery, 2mm-disk 1-4 bunches cilantro , or basil s-bladed 2-3 cups sundried tomatoes, soaked, s-bladed 4 whole avocados, diced 1 ½ cups pumpkin seeds, or hemp seeds, whole ½ cup cumin ½ cup olive oil, or sesame oil ½ cup lemon juice, or 2 Tablespoons apple vinegar ¼ cup kalamata black olive brine ½ teaspoon salt ½ tablespoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon hing, or garlic 1 cup miso 4 cups nettle, dandelion, or rooibos tea

To make tea:
1/2 cup nettle, or dandelion or rooibos dry tea.
3 cups tea kettle water
steep for 20 minutes.

Add all ingredients to a bowl and serve. You may choose to warm on stove till soup is warm to the touch or you may use a candy thermometer and heat to 120 degrees.

Note: When I say s-bladed it means to use the "S" shaped blade in your food processor to chop ingredients. Be careful not to process to much and puree it. Just chop.

Nettles are used throughout the world to build vitality, nettles are delicious and if your in a moist area, free for the taking! But do take carefully! (Preferably with gloves) To harvest the leaf, you come at the leaf from the bottom, folding it along its central crease, yanking it gently from the mother plant, and then rolling it up so as to enclose the top of the leaf (where the stingers are most commonly found).

Nettles are persistent perennials that can grow taller than 2 meters (6 feet). Nettles grow in multiple thin stalks arising from the ground. Nettle leaves are typically collected, eaten and or dried in May and June, just before coming into flower. The stems and leaf tops of the stinging nettle plant are covered with thin, hair like protrusions. These protrusions, if touched, release a stinging fluid containing histamine and formic acid, which causes temporary burning and irritation. This injection, which is like and ant's bite, increases circulation, and provides external treatment for arthritic pain, gout, sciatica, neuralgia, hemorrhoids, and scalp and heir problems. Nettle juice can be used as a hair rinse to restore natural color. Nettle extracts are used in many shampoos.

Internally, nettles are a kidney tonic with diuretic properties that help flush the blood and cleanse blood through the kidneys. Nettles afford allergy relief, enrich the blood, and thicken the hair. Due to their iron rich content and ease of absorption, nettle juice is more effective than spinach juice in building blood. Nettle leaves are highly alkaline. They neutralize and dissolve acidic wastes in the blood. Its power to purify the blood will do wonders for chronic skin ailments. Its effective against eczema on the upper body, especially on the face and neck, and ears. This benefit is likely due to its high silicon, chlorophyll, and vitamin C content.

Nettle juice is perfect for weight reduction. Nettles are also good for hypoglycemia, as they help reduce blood sugar levels, and they also ameliorate high blood pressure. Used for anemia and excessive menstruation, nettles also build overall energy and chi. Nettles reduce pitta and kapha and can be used, in moderation by vata.

Wow!

Stinging nettles probably originated in Eurasia, although there is some evidence that they were growing in the Americas when the Europeans arrived. Some of the strongest varieties grow in the United Kingdom and Germany.

Mythologically, the Nordics associated nettles with the thunder god Thor. Nettles were perceived to protect one from lightning. The incredible strengthening properties of the nettle plant really do make one more resistant to the elements.

When nettles are eaten, the saliva neutralizes the sting, so that one cannot be stung in the mouth or throat.

Mother nature provides her unique balance by providing a remedy for the nettle sting by allowing burdock to grow in the same locales as nettles. Mashed-up burdock leaves applied to the skin relieve nettle stings. Also the juice from the stinging nettle leaves acts as an antidote to the sting as well, when applied topically.

Simply and amazing plant!

Hope you all are having a wonderful end of the year!

Lots of hugs and blessings!

Michelle

PS. The information contained in this post came from the books, Eating for Beauty, by David Wolfe, and The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, by Rebecca Wood.

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Walking Lightly Soup

It's that time of year, when I love to eat tons of soup! There is absolutely nothing like soup! By nature its eccentric, in the fact that no two are ever alike!

This is the soup I make most often out at the ranch. It is derived from the basic soup recipe in the book Sunfood Cuisine by Frederic Patenaude. I have posted the basic recipe below, so check it out; try it and create something new every time!

Walking Lightly Soup:

1 whole apple

1 whole avocado

1 bunch greens (mustard, arugula, collards, broccoli, spinach, baby lettuces, or other favorite greens)

1 bunch herbs, (basil, parsley, cilantro, or other favorite herb)

1 whole zucchini

2 tablespoons miso

dash nama shoyu

2 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger

dash cayenne pepper

2 to 3 cups blessed water or more if needed

Place all ingredients in a blender, blend and serve!

Basic Soup Recipe:

*2 cups non-sweet fruit

Choose between cucumber, tomato, zucchini, pepper, or tomatillo. You may choose to use one or more of these.

*1 to 2 cups liquid

Use one cup first. Then if needed, add more liquid at the end. Choose between blessed water, coconut water, or vegetable juice.

*1 to 2 cups greens

Vegetables or herbs. Choose between kale, parsley, spinach, arugula (also a spice), celery, and your favorite herbs and veggies!

*1/2 to 1 whole avocado, meat of one young coconut, or 2-4 Tablespoons of tahini.

*4 Tablespoons olive oil, or other cold pressed oil like flax or hemp.

*2 Tablespoons Miso

*1/2 to 1 whole apple

*1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or 2 tablespoons nama shoyu (or Bragg's for gluten sensitive)

*1 inch ginger (optional)

*1 clove of garlic

*1 pinch cayenne pepper

Blend all ingredients. You may choose to create a chunky soup by dicing some of the vegetables, or adding some. Warm it up till it feels warm to the touch! But not over 120 degrees so that you may preserve the enzymes and keep the soup ALIVE!

Some other great additions are kelp noodles or zucchini noodles, marinated or grated vegetables, chopped avocado, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, olives, or sprouts.

Be creative, have fun and enjoy!

"Good Soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite then any other one dish."

~Louis P. De Gouy, The Soup Book (1949)

Many Blessings! ~ Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

PomTini

The word pomegranate means "many-grained apple".
Eat the pomegranate, for it purges the system of hatred and envy. --Muhammad

This drink is a real crowd pleaser!

• PomTini

• Makes 2-3 servings
• 1 cup fresh pomegranate , or cranberry juice, strained (fresh juice will produce a cloudier drink than bottled)
• 1 ½ tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 cup dry organic white wine, or sparkling wine
• ½ cup dry sake
• 3 teaspoons lime juice, freshly squeezed is the best!

Combine ingredients and shake with ice in a martini shaker, strain and serve in martini glasses. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig (remove lower needles and skewer fruit of choice).

This recipe comes to you from Rebecca Carlson in the current issue of Purely Delicious magazine.

Pomegranates promote the production of red blood cells; expel tapeworms; strengthen the bladder (especially for the elderly) and the gums; and soothe ulcers in the mouth and throat. The peel is used as a home remedy for treating chronic dysentery. A kitchen remedy for burning eyes is to place a drop of pomegranate juice in each eye before sleeping.
Pomegranates reduce pitta and kapha.

We have so much to be thankful for!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Love you all!

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com